Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes. Committee members will see the net need figures. There is an inset with the information. The figures on the waiting list have reduced. The total number of qualified households in 2018 has reduced significantly from 2017. That should be a good news story but it is important to clarify this. Let us consider the criteria set out on the page. Who is left out of the assessment? Anyone receiving the housing assistance payment is left out of the assessment. We know the figures for HAP doubled last year and the allocation became €300 million. The figure for next year will be €431 million. Those in receipt are in the private market with no security of tenure. It is costing a fortune in taxpayers' money – that is why we are mentioning it. They are excluded completely and so are those in the rental accommodation scheme. It is the exclusion of people who are still in need. That is really what is difficult. They are on a waiting list but when they go into these schemes they are off the waiting list but they are put on a transfer list.

I know we abolished limbo, but limbo is alive and well somewhere in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. We need to put this in context. When we see these figures reducing, it should be a good news story except that the figures are not reducing in any way. While the figures in the document are going down, other figures have gone up.